The Massey Goulding Estate Children’s Peace Theatre occupies the Massey Goulding
Estate, a 5,000 square foot heritage home in Taylor Creek Park in Toronto’s
east end. It is a peaceful setting – a taste of the country for urban Toronto.
The land and structures were part of the Dentonia Park Farm,
founded by the prominent Toronto family of Walter and Susan Denton Massey as an
experimental dairy farm in 1897. At the turn of the century, 16 out of every
100 Toronto infants died, many from typhoid fever and tuberculosis caused by
drinking contaminated milk. The philanthropic Masseys produced pasteurized milk
to help prevent children’s deaths at a time when pasteurization was virtually
unknown.
Built in the 1920’s, the beautiful Arts and Crafts style
home was a wedding gift for Dorothy Massey and her husband Dr. Arthur Goulding.
It is the only house lived in by a Dentonia Park Massey that still stands on
what was once 240 acres of farm land.
The house was designed by Ferdinand Marani, a prominent
Canadian architect, in 1921. As an early example of Marani’s work, it ranked as
one of the outstanding residences of Canada and Ontario in the late 1920’s. The
house shows the influence of Eden Smith, whose comfortable, cottage-like
designs revolutionized the nature of public housing in early twentieth century
Toronto.
Dorothy raised her family in the house and through her love
for the arts, even encouraged her own children and others to perform fairy
tales and other stories. Her initiative grew into the Toronto Children’s
Theatre. After Dorothy passed away, the house became the property of the
Borough of East York.
In the summer of 1997, Eldon and Marcella Hannon Shields saw
the potential of the abandoned home as an opportunity to continue the work of
the Centre for Leadership and Peace. They negotiated with the City to restore
the estate and the grounds.
Nine graduates of the Compassionate Leadership Program
restored the building and grounds with the effort of more than fifty
volunteers. Lucy Bowers, Lily Dashwood, Anna Gormley, Donna Grassby, Margaret
Keogh, Janine Kinch, Leanne Kloppenborg, John Lee, Jill Segal, Erika Wolff,
Marcella and Eldon and the volunteers labored around the clock to complete the
first round of restorations in time for the opening session of the
Compassionate Leadership Program. Michael Kilgar completed the restoration four
years later. Gradually, the Arts and Crafts style mansion and grounds that Dorothy
Massey received as a wedding gift from her family in 1921 were restored to
their simplicity and beauty.
Children’s Peace Theatre had its first public performance in
2000. Former members of the Toronto Children’s Theatre, some of whom were
professional actors on the Canadian stage, came to support this new initiative
for children.
The Massey Goulding Estate now belongs to the City of
Toronto and the Children’s Peace Theatre is grateful to use it in the service
of the young people in our community.

Using Our SpaceThe unique house and grounds of the Massey Goulding Estate are an excellent choice for business meetings, weddings, parties and other events. For more information, please click here.